Coalition of over 80 organizations hails Section 60 revision for balancing electronic transmission with safeguards for Nigeria’s elections….
A coalition of more than 80 civil society, non-governmental, and public interest organizations has commended the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for its passage of the Electoral Act Amendment 2026, describing it as a decisive step in protecting Nigeria’s democracy from manipulation and fake election results.
The Coalition for Good Governance (CCG), in an emergency meeting convened on Monday, February 16, 2026, in Lagos, gave a vote of confidence to the upper legislative chamber, applauding lawmakers for their commitment to democratic principles and resisting undue pressure from interest groups seeking unmoderated electronic transmission of election outcomes.
According to the press statement issued by coalition leaders including Nelson Ekujumi, Razaq Olokoba, Gbenga Soloki, Razaq Oladosu, Raheem Ajayi, Uche Nnadozie, Wole Adepoju, Linus Okoroji, Ajayi Popoola, Funmi Olusola, Shola Omolola, Peter Oparah, Gbenga Omage, Abdul-Malik Mohammed, George Oghenebruwe, Margaret Omotunde, Abuka Omobaba Onalo, and Kudu Ibrahim, the Senate’s action reflects responsiveness to the concerns of Nigerians while ensuring election integrity.
The coalition pointed out that groups clamoring for immediate real-time electronic transmission of results were not acting in the national interest, but rather attempting to exploit technological gaps to incite chaos and disrupt law and order on election day. They argued that Nigeria’s power and internet infrastructure remain unevenly distributed, and global technology challenges could compromise such a system.
In a move hailed as a “masterstroke” by the coalition, the Senate amended Section 60(3 & 5) of the Electoral Act to ensure a balanced approach. Under the new provision, results from each polling unit will be electronically transmitted to the INEC Result Viewing Portal only after Form EC8A has been signed and stamped by the presiding officer and countersigned by party agents or polling agents where available. In the event of communication failure, the signed Form EC8A will serve as the primary source for collation and declaration of results.
The coalition emphasized that this approach preserves transparency and credibility, ensuring that party agents, who serve as witnesses to the election process, play an integral role in verifying results before electronic transmission.
“The Senate has strengthened the integrity of election outcomes by mandating that election results be signed and countersigned by presiding officers and party agents before electronic transmission,” the statement read. “This guarantees that the process remains credible, even in cases of network failure, and prevents manipulation by actors with ulterior motives.”
As the Senate and House of Representatives prepare to harmonize the bill for presidential assent, the coalition urged lawmakers to remain resolute and resist external pressures. They called on the legislature to uphold the Senate’s position for the sake of democracy, peace, and stability.
“The amendment ensures that elections are conducted in a manner suitable to Nigeria’s socio-economic and political realities. By requiring verification before electronic transmission and retaining Form EC8A as a fallback, the Senate has safeguarded the process against attempts to transmit fraudulent results,” the coalition added.
The coalition concluded by affirming its confidence that attempts to exploit the electoral process will fail and reaffirmed its support for the legislature’s commitment to protecting the country’s democratic framework.
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